The Letter
by navycorpsman
Summary: A Ranger has been murdered. Only Bosco knows the reason. There's a leak inside the NYPD. Will Faith find Bosco in time to solve the murder or will he be the next victim?
1. The Letter

Faith Yokas put the letter in her desk. It was a long time since she heard from him and she wasn't sure she wanted to read the letter right now. Ever since she made detective and Camelot had been destroyed, she hadn't really talked to him. Even if she did, it was work related, but being at two different precincts now meant they weren't really working together much.

She took a sip of coffee and read through what she had gathered the night before regarding the suicide of a young man who had just returned from Iraq. _A Soldier. Someone who has seen more than his fair share of shit._ she thought as she reviewed her notes. Something told her it wasn't a suicide. Things weren't adding up to Faith.

She had to find him. She had to get his take on it. She stood up and Jelly stood in front of her. "Where you going?"

"To eat, Jelly." She lied.

"Great. I'm hungry." Jelly stood up.

"When aren't you hungry, Jelly?" She put her coat on.

"Who's the letter from?" Jelly adjusted the collar of his jacket.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Any time a detective is saddened by something, I need to know about it."

"It's this case, Jelly. It's not adding up to me." Faith grabbed her notes. "Listen. I want to have lunch alone today, if you don't mind." She didn't want for an answer. She left, determined to find him.


	2. Meet Officer Boscorelli

"You'd better be talking, asshole!" Maurice Boscorelli slammed the young kid against the wall. "Where's your buddies?"

The kid was obviously scared. "I...I...I don't know, Officer."

"Don't be bullshitting me because if I find out you're bullshitting me, this will be the least of your worries." He cuffed the kid and put him in the back of the patrol car.

"You're something else, Bosco." Officer Simon Lackey got in the squad car.

Bosco looked at him. "What?"

"You heard me. How'd you get away with this at the 5-5?"

"Why? I've gotten a kid off the streets that..."

"Is that all you do is arrest people?" Lackey looked at his partner. Partners usually were able to get along, but Lackey found Officer Boscorelli's attitude to policing a little hard to swallow.

"Someone's got to do something. Most of the NYPD sit on thier asses eating doughnuts. No offense, Lackey." He looked at his partner.

"You saying I'm fat?"

"I'm saying I don't know how you catch up with the bad guys at your size." Bosco looked out the window. He then sighed. "How about some lunch after we drop him off at the station?"

Lackey laughed. "You make fun of my weight and then suddenly you want lunch? Unbelievable."

"Hey, I'm hungry. I ran this little piece of shit down. That works up quite an appetite." He looked out his window. "Hey! Stop for a second."

"We've got..."

"Stop the car." Bosco was demanding.

Lackey stopped the car. "Hey, Bosco! Who is that?"

"An old friend." Bosco got out of the car. "Sully?"

The guy turned around. "Well, if it isn't Bust 'Em Boscorelli." He gave Bosco a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Bosco pointed to his car. "Had a call."

"Did he write 'Bosco's a dick' on your car?" Sully laughed.

"Nah, not yet. Hey listen, I was thinking of going to Danbur's after work for a drink. I'll be there around 11, 11:30, if you want to drop by."

Sully smiled. "You got more than ten dollars on you?"

"I'm buying." Bosco laughed.

"I'll see you then." Sully gave Bosco another hug. "It was nice seeing you again, Bosco."

"Yeah, you too."

"Tell Yokas I said 'Hi' next time you see her." Sully yelled as Bosco closed the door.

Bosco waved and nodded. "Can you believe that? Sully. From the 5-5. He retired and that is the first time in at least three years I've seen him." Bosco smiled. "He's a great guy."

"Glad of it. Now, what are we going to do about your prisoner in the back seat?" Lackey drove off.

"Put him in the holding cells. What else we going to do with him?" Bosco was perturbed at such a question.


	3. Homicide Or Suicide?

Faith finished her coffee. She knew she had to find him. There was something only he could answer. She reviewed her notes and coughed on her coffee as she read the last line she wrote from the previous day. She had to find him even more now. She looked around. _He's got to be here. One day, he's got to be here._ She stood up, paid her bill and left.

She headed back to the office and she saw Sasha Monroe walking her way. "Monroe?" She leaned down and hoped she was right.

"Faith Yokas?" The young lady responded and gave Faith a hug. "How've you been?"

"I've been good. Listen, you haven't had the opportunity to run into Bosco have you?"

Sasha shook her head. "Nope. Haven't seen him for at least two years. I heard he left the 7-9."

"Yeah, he did." Faith nodded.

"Why do you need him?" Sasha walked a little ways with Faith.

"I've got this murder made to look like a suicide, and it's a Soldier that just returned home from Iraq. I don't know what information Bosco could really give, but I do know he was in the Army and he's seen some serious combat. I just wanted to know if he could provide any information on this Soldier." Faith adjusted her scarf.

"Why this Solider? Does Bosco know every Soldier in the Army?" Sasha smiled.

"No, of course not. This one had a Ranger tab and Bosco was a Ranger. There's more I can't tell that would link Bosco to this guy." Faith looked at Sasha. "I don't mean Bosco killed him, if that's what that surprised look is for. He may be able to provide who this Soldier was and why he was murdered."

"If I happen to see him, I'll tell him you're looking for him. I'll pass the word on to Ty as well."

"What's going on with you two? Married yet?" Faith smiled.

"We're engaged, but no date's been set. Between my chasing City Hall and his crime unit, there's not much time for anything." Sasha sighed. "I'd like to get married soon, but there's really no time. Hey, this is my stop. Good luck."

"Yeah, thanks." Faith waved bye to Sasha. "Tell Ty I said 'Hi'."

"Will do!" Sasha ran inside.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Faith sat at her desk, still trying to piece everything together. She opened her drawer and saw the letter from him. She decided to read it. She opened it and another letter fell out. Perplexed, she picked up the second letter. It wasn't in his handwriting. She opened the letter and read it.

_With what I've seen and with what I have done, I can not live with the memories of what plays over and over again in my head. That haunts my every waking hour. I beg for peace and mercy and the nightmares refuse to stop; the voices and the screams refuse to be quiet. Every face I pass is the face of one I have killed. I can only stop them this way. I hope you can forgive me.  
_

_  
First Sergeant David McMichael  
US Army, 2/75th Ranger Bn._

She looked at the letter longer. Then she picked up the letter from him. Why did the deceased send the letter to him? She read his letter.

_Faith, I know we've not really spoken since I left the 7-9, but I know you and Jelly are working this case. First Sergeant McMichael was my platoon leader in Somalia. He was a good Soldier and I promise you that this is something that he wouldn't do. It's not his writing. I've enclosed the supposed suicide note and a letter he wrote me from Iraq. Notice they are not the same. Promise me, Faith, that you will look at this as a murder. You know where to find me should you need me.  
_

_Bosco_

She looked at the third letter that was in the envelope and read it.

_Greetings from Shithole, Iraq! Wish you were here, Bosco. These guys are idiots. I should be home within the month, so don't reply back when you get this. So, when I get home, I'll call you and I'll buy you a drink or something. I know I'll end up here again. Might as well make the most of being at home, right? See you soon!  
_

_  
Big Mac_

Faith read more of the letter. "This doesn't sound like a guy who'd want to kill himself." She said out loud.


	4. Let The Games Begin

Bosco drank his beer, waiting for Sully to show up. Just as he stood up to go, Sully walked in. "Hey, Bosco. Sorry I'm late. Damn New York traffic."

"It's alright, Sully. I was just going to the john." Bosco lied.

"I heard Faith is looking for you, Bosco." Sully blurted.

Bosco froze in his tracks. "Did she say why?" He knew what he hoped it would be for.

"Nope." Sully ordered a beer. "I ran into her and Sasha Monroe today down near where Camelot used to be. Faith's very quiet on why she's looking for you. Think she'll leave Miller and come to you? We all..."

"Doubtful." Bosco returned to his seat. He sipped his beer. "Highly doubtful."

* * *

Faith couldn't stop thinking about the letter. "Why would a guy that was looking so forward to meeting up with old friends and starting a new life after his career ended, commit suicide?"

John Miller sat next to her. "What are you talking about?" He kissed her cheek.

"The McMichael case." She put her head on his shoulder. "This was a guy, by all accounts, was looking forward to life. He had no reason to kill himself."

"There was a note."

"Not his writing." Faith stood up and kissed him. "I've got to go. I've got to find someone"

"Let the case go for the night." He held her hand. "It's not going anywhere, is it?"

She pulled her hand from his. "Maybe not, but if I don't find who I need to find, it will go cold." She put her coat on and walked out, hoping to find him.

Faith walked for a while, thinking about the letter and Bosco's words. She had to find him, but right now all she wanted was a nice glass of red wine. She made her way into Danbur's Bar. She sat at the bar and ordered her drink. She scanned the place and saw him talking to Sully. "Thanks." She took her drink and walked over. "This seat taken or can anyone sit here."

Bosco smiled. "Yokas. Long time no see."

"Nice to see you too, Bosco. You mind?"

"No, go ahead and have a seat, Yokas." He scooted over.

"How you doing, Sully?" Faith set her glass on the table.

"Good. Retired life is fantastic, though sometimes boring." Sully sipped his beer.

"Glad to hear." She smiled. Faith looked at Bosco. "I've been looking for you."

"I've heard." Bosco swallowed. "Though no one's said why. It's..."

"I got your letter."

Bosco looked at her. "When?"

"A couple days ago. I just opened it today, though." She sipped her wine.

"Why today?"

Sully coughed. "Wow. Look at the time. I should get going."

Bosco looked at him. "Nice to see you again, Sul. Hope to meet up with you soon."

"Yeah. You too, Bosco." He shook the younger man's hand. He gave Faith a hug. "Keep in touch, Faith."

"You too, Sully." She watched him leave and moved to his chair, across from Bosco. "I didn't know what it was regarding. I was a little afraid to open it, Bosco."

"Are you..."

"Nothing about this case has sat right with me from the beginning and then your letter just proved my instincts about this case." She leaned back. "Why would anyone want him dead?"

Bosco looked behind Faith. "What do you say we go back to my place?"

Faith coughed. "Pardon me, Bosco?"

His eyes never left whatever was behind her. "I just asked you if you wanted to come back to my place." He sipped his beer.

Faith knew something had Bosco's attention. She had worked with him too long to not interpret that stare. She finished her wine. "Sure. Why not?"

Bosco helped her with her coat on. "Ready?"

"Yeah." She pulled her hair out from underneath the collar. Outside, she watched as Bosco took a gun from his coat. "You carry a gun with you?"

Bosco looked intently at her. "Yeah." He put it back in the inside pocket of his coat. "Now, what is it you want to know about Big Mac?"

Faith sighed. She noticed Bosco was a little edgier than normal. "You know more about this case than you're leading on, don't you?"

Bosco shrugged. "Come on, Faith. You know me."

"Yeah and that's why I think you know more of what's going on than you've been up front about." Faith stopped.

Bosco faced her. "And if I do, you're going to think that I'm responsible."

Faith smiled. "You may be capable of a lot of stuff, Bosco. Armed robbery. Screwing the Captain's daughter. Making too many false arrests, but murder? I don't think that one minute you'd kill someone because you wanted to. You'd kill to protect Emily, me, the innocent grandmother on the street, or a fellow officer."

Bosco smiled. "I'm surprised you remem..." he looked behind her. "Let's go, Faith. I'm a little cold."

"Okay." She wasn't sure of what to make of Bosco at this point. He was acting strange, even for him. She didn't have too long to think about it as Bosco grabbed her hand and took off at full speed. "Bosco!"

"Keep up, Faith!" Bosco never let go of her hand. He slipped into an abandoned building and put his hand over Faith's mouth to keep her quiet. He watched as the shadows passed.

"We know you're here, Boscorelli. We know you've got a pretty lady friend and if you don't want anything to happen to her, we suggest you give us what we want." A deep voice echoed through the emptiness. "We'll find you, Boscorelli, and when we do, you'll wish you hadn't stepped in."


	5. Let The Games Continue

Bosco kept his hand over Faith's mouth until he was sure that the coast was clear. When he let her go, Faith hit his chest hard. "What was that about, Bosco? What sort of trouble are you in?" Bosco didn't face her. "Look at me, Bosco." Faith demanded.

"Shhh." Bosco put his finger to his lips. He took her by the hand. "Let's get out of here."

She pulled her hand from his. "Not until you tell me what's going on, Bosco."

Suddenly, there was a stream of bullets heading their way. Faith and Bosco hit the floor. He looked at her. "You want me to tell you what's going on while we're being killed? Great." He fired a shot and the firing stopped. "When are you going to relax long enough for me to get you somewhere safe to tell you?" He helped her up and they started to run. "It's this case. Big Mac was murdered and I know by who and why."

"I figured that much from your letter." Faith gasped for air.

"Quick!" Bosco ran up some stairs, Faith on his heels. He slowly opened a door, his gun in front of him. When he felt comfortable enough, he told Faith to come in. He shut the door and began to turn the apartment upside down.

"What are you looking for?" Faith asked.

"Bugs."

"You'll need an exterminator for that problem, Bosco." Faith tried to joke, but Bosco just shot her a glare. "Right. Sorry. Why are you looking for bugs and where are we?"

"My place and you don't know if they've paid a visit or not." Bosco looked closely at the smoke detector.

"Are you implying there's some sort of conspiracy going on here, Bosco?" Faith tried to keep from laughing.

"They're coming for me too, Faith." Bosco looked at her. "I know everything. Enough to put these jag offs to death row."

"Like what?" Faith flung her coat on the couch.

"There's this General that I used to serve under. He was a Captain when I served under him, but he's dirty, Faith." Bosco lowered his voice. "Big Mac knew the same thing I did and he paid the price for it."

"What is it and how do you know? I worked with you all these years and you..."

"I've only known for a couple years, Faith. Big Mac told me and he provided evidence." Bosco stood up and went to a dresser. He emptied everything out of the drawer and lifted the bottom. He pulled out an envelope stuffed full and handed it to Faith. "Here's all the evidence you need. I want you to be careful. If they know that you know and that you have this stuff, they'll be looking to kill you too."

Faith looked at him. "Don't get killed on me, Bosco."

He smiled. "I won't. I promise."

Faith looked at the contents of the envelope. "This could do some major damage to this guy's career."

Bosco nodded as he continued looking out the window. "That's what Big Mac knew and it's why he was murdered."

"So, when did you move?"

"When they broke into my last place looking for those." Bosco's attention never strayed from whatever was outside the window and he never put his gun down. "I've got a feeling I'm about to move again." He pointed his gun out the window and shot. "GET DOWN, FAITH!" He yelled as he moved away from the window.

A stream of bullets entered the apartment. "Bosco? You okay?" She asked, never standing up.

"I'm fine, Yokas. But, right now, I've got to get you back to the precinct unhurt." He stood up. "Let's go."

Faith looked the envelope up in the evidence locker. Bosco was uncharacteristically nervous as he surveyed the scene near the 7-9. He knew in here she was safe, but the minute Faith emerged, she was now a target. Despite her best efforts to comfort Bosco and convince him she would be fine, he wouldn't believe her and refused to leave her side until she was home.

As they turned the corner to head home, two men approached them. One held a gun to Bosco's head. "Give us the envelope, Boscorelli, and no one gets hurt."

"I don't have it, jag off." Bosco defied.

"What did you do with it?" The gruff voice became angry.

"Sold them to the USA Today." Bosco toyed with the man.

"I should kill you right now."

"Go ahead. What will it accomplish? The whole world will see what you've done and you'll get what's coming to you." If Bosco was afraid, he never showed it.

The gunman looked at Faith. "I should just kill your lady friend here. Maybe then you'll talk."

"You kill her, I kill you." Bosco held his gun to the gunman's head. "I don't mind going to prison for murder, especially when it's self defense."

"When are you going to learn, Boscorelli?" The gun man hit Bosco hard across the face, knocking him to the ground. He fired a round, hitting Bosco. "Let's go." The men grabbed Faith and ran off.

* * *

Faith looked at her abductors. "What is it that you want with Bosco?" 

The guy across from her laughed. "You have no clue? What did he give you in the apartment?"

"A good fuck." Faith was indignant.

The guy pointed a gun at her. "We were watching and there was no fucking going on. Where's the pictures?"

"I have no clue as to what you're talking about." Faith lied.

"We saw him give you an envelope."

Faith laughed. "You think pictures of my family from the old 5-5 are something you need?"

"Those weren't pictures from your precinct." The guy challenged.

Faith only laughed harder. "I should think they were." She pulled out an envelope. She held up one. "That's Bosco with my nemesis, Sergeant Maritza Cruz. And here's Sully." She tossed another one at him. "And Davis. He was so cute and complex. He's dating this lady, Sasha Monroe." She pointed to the lady standing beside Davis in the picture. "These are sure some incriminating pictures." She scoffed.


	6. Trap

Bosco waited until he heard the car turn the corner before standing up. He was thankful he never left home anymore without his vest and wondered why they didn't figure that out already. He ran back to the 7-9 and told the front desk what happened.

"Were you hurt, Sir?"

"No, but one of your detectives was just kidnapped." Bosco was getting irritated. "You a rookie or did you mess up really bad in the field that they..."

"Bosco?"

Bosco turned around and saw Miller standing there. 'Yeah. Hey, listen. Some guys just kidnapped Faith and..."

"Kidnapped Faith?" Miller seemed skeptical. "I asked her to marry me and she says she's not sure and now she fakes a kidnapping to get out of it and she asked you to come in and tell us that she was kidnapped. Unbelievable."

"You asked her to marry you?" Bosco was shocked.

"Yeah? Didn't she tell you?" Miller was surprised that Bosco didn't know.

"Nah. We hadn't really talked for a couple years or so, since I left the 7-9 and then I met her at Danbu..."

"She was reading a letter from you." Miller looked at Bosco with suspicion.

"Yeah, about this suicide of the Solider she's working on." Bosco was getting more exasperated with Miller.

"How do you know about that case?"

Bosco sighed heavily. "I knew the guy." He pounded the desk with open palms. "Look. I gave her an envelope that was given to me by Big Mac. The reason for his murder is in that envelope." He glared at Miller. "It's in the evidence locker. If you don't do something, I will. You say you love her and you want to marry her, here's your chance to prove it."

"What? Not stand in front of a machine gun without protection like you did?" Miller scoffed.

"I ain't...Look. She's in real danger. If the man who claims he loves her doesn't do something, than the man she used to call best friend will." Bosco stormed out of the precinct.

Bosco carefully scanned his apartment before unlocking the trunk in his closet. He knew what he had to do if no one else was going to do anything. He stared at the trunk a moment, remembering five years earlier when he first got a glimpse into the trunk. He opened it and pulled out a couple guns. He smiled slightly in memory of Maritza Cruz, who the trunk originally belonged to.

He knew he didn't have much time and he hustled out of his apartment. He rounded the corner and saw one of the men standing there, a gun pointed at Bosco. Instinctively, Bosco fired, hitting the guy in the shoulder. Bosco grabbed the fallen man's gun and took him by his collar. "WHERE IS SHE?" He yelled. Bosco was angry, angrier than the wounded man had ever seen him.

"I...I...I...Uh..."

"YOU BETTER START TALKING, JAG OFF!" Bosco put the pistol in between the guy's eyes. "I'll kill you and not think about it and find her, killing everyone in my way." He cocked the trigger back. 'Talk, jag off."

"It's a trap."

Bosco looked intently at the guy. "A what?"

"A trap. They sent me to..."

"Well. Well. Well. If it isn't Boscorelli." A familiar voice sounded behind Bosco. "You never learn do you?" Bosco faced the guy and was hit across the face, knocking him cold.

Bosco shook his head and discovered he was handcuffed to a pipe. Despite the dark, he could see another figure. "Faith?" He whispered.

"Bosco?" Faith's heart jumped at the sound of his voice. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"I've had better days." She laughed. "What's this really all about?"

Bosco saw the mysterious man stand at the door. "It's about those pictures and how Bosco and Big Mac thought they could destroy a career."

"They were children." Bosco screamed.

"Yes, but they were willing children." The man mocked. "I'm not going to watch General Harrison go down because you've got a conscience." He knelt in front of Bosco. "I want those pictures and I want them now."

"Bite me, jag off." Bosco spit in the guys face.

The guy pulled a gun and put it to Bosco's head. Faith struggled with her handcuffs. "Wait!" She screamed. "I'll tell you where they are. Just don't hurt Bosco."

The guy put the gun down and faced her. "We're going to get the pictures." He uncuffed Faith.

"Those pictures are no good without me." Bosco yelled.

"Why not?" The guy looked at Bosco.

"She can't get to them without me. She may know where they're at, but she can't get to them..."

"Fine." The guy huffed and uncuffed Bosco. "But any false moves and I'll kill you both. Let's go." He pushed them up the stairs.


	7. Why? WHY?

Faith wanted nothing more than to take the blindfold off. She wanted to know that Bosco was okay. She could hear them talking to him outside of the van, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Suddenly, she heard gunshots and she started kicking and screaming.

She felt an hand grab her upper arm and she leaned over and bit the hand. "Damnit, Faith!" She recognized the voice. "How the fuck am I going to rescue you if you're biting me?"

"Bosco?"

"The one and only. Who were you expecting?" He untied her blindfold. 

"What about the men?" Faith rubbed her wrists. "I heard gunshots."

"Yeah." Bosco looked around carefully. "Mind the bodies."

Faith looked at Bosco. "Mind the bodies? Did you kill them?"

"No, Ma'am. We did." Faith jumped at the sight of a man in a tan beret standing in front of her. "We knew it was a matter of time before they came for Bosco, so we sent in Nolan here as..."

"An undercover?" Faith was shocked.

"We have to get General Harrison locked away for this. What he did to those little girls and their mothers is something the U.S. Army Rangers don't deal with. He was our general and it became our mission to take him down."

"We've got more than enough..."

"I think you oughta see this, Faith." Bosco yelled.

Faith looked at him. "Why?"

"Did you ever see your kidnappers?" Sergeant Ryan asked.

Faith looked at the burly Ranger. "No, I didn't."

"The guys who kidnapped me, well, I knew one." Bosco stated.

"They are Army aren't they?" Faith asked.

"Not this one." Bosco looked at Faith. "She wasn't Army."

Faith made her way to the body that Bosco was standing near. She gasped and put her hands over her mouth. "Why? WHY?" She cried.


End file.
